Bathrooms are one of the smallest rooms in the house and are also one of the most expensive to renovate. Bathroom renovation is a job that, well done, can add value to a home and to a large space full of design and light.
bathroom design
Bathroom design is the first area of your bathroom renovation that you need to get right. Simply replacing the existing bathroom with the same design may not be enough. The key to great bathroom design is designing it with the people who will be using it in mind. However, make sure that your bathroom design also has a factor of general use. For example: If you were designing a bathroom for families, you could still design the bathroom with easy access to the shower and tub. This would ensure that the design would also work for people with limited mobility. This means that whether you decide to sell your home or are renovating for profit, your design has broader market appeal. A great bathroom design also makes good use of space, taking into account light or window space, size of fixtures, and drainage options. Draw a plan to scale and reduce the sizes of your room. Mark existing drainage points and then water entry points. Write a wish list of the bathroom accessories you need and want with their sizes. Now marry the two together and see what fits. Note: Most bathroom drain and water inlet points can be moved, but this is at an additional cost.
Bathroom remodelation
If you’ve decided to do the work yourself or some of the work, it’s time to hire a dumpster and get the old bathroom out. If your home was built before 1980, you may have asbestos-fiber bathroom wall coverings and you will need to be very careful. You will need full body disposable coveralls, eye protection and a quality dust mask. Check with your local building authority or council regarding regulations on the removal of asbestos coating from bathroom walls.
Remove everything except the pipe. If you keep the bathroom plumbing in place, you won’t have to turn off the water to the entire house. You will also need to hammer down the floor tiles and the sand and cement bed they were laid on.
Bathroom Reform and construction
Bathrooms must be built correctly from scratch to ensure that the finished work is correct and true. This also ensures that the design and appearance of the bathroom is excellently finished.
The bathroom renovation process
- Install water and drainage pipes and electrical cables.
- Install the wall and ceiling cladding and then install the bathroom and bathroom countertop.
- Waterproof the floor and the opening of the shower and bathtub.
- Correct the fall of the floor with sand and cement ready to tile.
- Lay the floor and wall tiles and then the grout.
- Install a new bathroom vanity, fixtures and faucets; install new electrical appliances.
- Paint ceiling and final cleaning.
Step One – Plumbing and Electrical
At this point all new plumbing is installed for clean hot and cold water and drainage. Careful attention must be given when laying new plumbing so that the plumbing fixtures are correct when tiling is complete. For example: To center a faucet in a shower alcove, you need to take into account the thickness of the wall panel, tile glue and tiles so that the faucet is centered after laying the tiles. The same applies to the installation of drain pipes for a toilet; Consideration should be given to the thickness of the wall cladding and tile so that the pipe is in the correct position when the toilet is installed after tiling. Also rough on the new electrical cables without connecting them to the mains.
Step Two – Install Wall and Ceiling Cladding
Install your 1/4” wall cladding taking care to nail the fiberboard every 150mm without nailing in the new pipes and electrical wires. The best way is to measure and pencil the plumbing and wiring layout on your new wall panel as you go. Screw (or nail) to the ceiling sheathing, gypsum board is the most common. However, if you are laying the tiles from floor to ceiling, do not install the cornice, as it is best to do so after laying the tiles. If you’re not going to tile all the way to the ceiling, go ahead and install the cornice after the drywall and ceiling sheathing have been installed. Also, if your bathroom is not freestanding, you can now frame and install the bathroom. Make sure that the bathroom is installed correctly taking into account the thickness of the tiles and the glue.
Step Three – Waterproof Your Bathroom
Waterproof your bathroom floor, shower alcove and around the bathtub. When waterproofing the floor, make sure that the waterproofing goes up 100mm up the walls. The shower hole must be waterproofed 100 mm above the outlet of the shower rosette. In addition, the bathtub must be waterproofed 100 mm above the edge of the bathtub, around and to the floor. At the entrance, install a 25 x 25mm aluminum angle glued in place with quality, waterproof silicone on the lip. Your entire bathroom should now be tanked, so all the water will just go down one drain. Bathroom Waterproofing Tip: Waterproofing is an easy job, but quality and precision are the most important.
Step Four – Lay the Cement Floor Tile.
Before the tiles can be laid, the floor must be smooth and fairly flat with a slight slope towards the drain outlet. To do this, you need to use a mixture of sand and cement and it is better to add a waterproofing agent to it as well. With a level, establish the floor level at the entrance. Use the top aluminum angle as the finished floor level and measure down the thickness of the tile plus 10mm for glue. Mark around the bathroom with a level and then apply the sand-cement mixture at a 1-3 degree drop to the top of the drain outlet. Take your time and get it right with the final level as smooth as possible. When the sand-cement mixture has set but isn’t dry (you can walk on it but it’s still a bit soft), rub it down with a brick. This will remove all the little ups and downs and check with a level as you go. Let the bathroom floor dry completely and then you should have a large area to tile. Tip: The more you work on the screed, the easier it will be to lay the tiles.
Step Five: Tile Floor and Walls
Lay the tiles on the floor first, and then apply the grout. Then lay the wall tiles making sure they are level as you lay them. Once the bathroom tiles have been cut and laid, apply grout to all the tiles and then clean them.
Step Six: Install Plumbing Fixtures and Fixtures
Install all your plumbing fixtures and faucets. It also fits all your towel bars and soap dishes. Lay out your new bathroom vanity making sure it is level and seal around the top with silicone and also seal around the tub. Tip: Make sure they are in the right place before you drill the tiles.
Step seven: painting and cleaning – enjoy
Paint your ceiling and do a final clean up making sure everything is in place correctly and there are no leaks in your pipes. – Enjoy your new bathroom.
Recent Comments